Can vitamin C treat oral ulcers?
Oct 16, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Liu Chao
Introduction
In general, whether vitamin C can treat oral ulcers depends on the underlying cause. For oral ulcers caused by vitamin C deficiency, supplementing vitamin C may help in treatment. However, for ulcers resulting from other causes, vitamin C alone is insufficient for treatment. To prevent and help improve oral ulcers, it is important to maintain a balanced diet in daily life and consume more fresh fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C.
Generally speaking, whether vitamin C can treat oral ulcers depends on the underlying cause. Oral ulcers caused by a deficiency in vitamin C may benefit from vitamin C supplementation as an adjunctive treatment; however, for ulcers resulting from other causes, vitamin C alone is insufficient for treatment. Detailed analysis is as follows:
If oral ulcers are due to long-term unbalanced diet and lack of vitamin C, which leads to reduced repair capacity of the oral mucosa, supplementing vitamin C can enhance mucosal repair, promote ulcer healing, and alleviate the fragility of the mucosa, thus playing an auxiliary therapeutic role.
When oral ulcers are caused by other factors such as oral trauma, bacterial infection, or high levels of psychological stress, vitamin C cannot directly address these underlying causes and serves only as a nutritional supplement. In such cases, targeted interventions—such as using oral ulcer patches to relieve pain, adjusting sleep patterns, and maintaining good oral hygiene—are necessary to promote healing.
To prevent and help manage oral ulcers, it is important to maintain a balanced diet in daily life, consume more fresh fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C, avoid chewing hard foods that may injure the oral mucosa, rinse the mouth with warm water after meals to reduce bacterial growth, and thereby create a healthier environment for the oral mucosa.
